Two-stage vapor condenser



Nov. 28, 1950 A. H. ToTTr-:N 2,531,753

TWO-STAGE VAPOR CONDENSER Filed March 7, 1946 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllilllllllll il i i [livel/tor nl Alfred 7Eferz "i W15/away /mmm Nov. 28, 1950 A. H. To'rTEN TWO-STAGE VAPOR CONDENSER Filed March '7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l H T l H l Alfred hf feiten ,v

@Mm WWW eys Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and` structural refinements in vapor condensers, more speciiically, to a device of the character herein described, such as may be positioned in the bottom of a liquid storage tank for the purpose of condensing the vapors which are evaporating therefrom and to reclaim the same into the liquid form,

The principal object of the invention is to provide a condenser which is primarily intended for use in gasoline storage tanks, in order to substantially minimize the conventionally experienoed losses resulting from evaporation. However, apart from this primary object, the invention may be effectively employed in association with volatile liquids in general.

A further object of the invention is to provide a condenser which is of simple construction and which may be readily and conveniently installed in the storage tank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condenser which may be easily and conveniently cleaned, without the necessity of disassembling orv removing the same from the tank.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a condenser which cannot easily become damaged.

With the above more important objects in View, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a cross sectional View of a storage tank, illustrating the invention in situ therein;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken in the plane of the line 2 2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partially broken away, and illustrating the condenser per se;

Figure 4 is an end view of the subject shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken in the plane of the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a condenser structure designated generally by the reference character I0. This structure is of an elongated formation and consists of a plurality of spaced parallel pipes II and a plurality of transversely extending tubes I2.

The pipes II are closed at the ends thereof and each of the tubes I2 communicates with lil) with two of the pipes, the pipes and tubes being arranged in a polygonal' cross sectional formation, as is best illustrated in the accompanying Figures 3, 4 and 5;

With reference now to the accompanying Figures 1` and 2, the installation of the condensers in the storage tanks will now be described, the same. being accomplished either singly or. in multiple, depending upon the size of the tank and on the rate of evaporation of the liquid therein.

For purposes of illustration, three of` the condenser units I@ are shown in the accompanying drawings, each being supported by means of suitable legs I3 in such manner that thelongitudinal axis oi the condenser lies in ahorizontally offset plane.

The condensers are positioned in the bottom portion ci a liquid storage tank I4, the latter being provided at `the upper end thereof with a vapor collecting dome I5 and a vapor collecting chest l5', these, in turn, carrying the safety valve i6 and the manhole covers II- A pair of vaporY inlet conduits IB extend from the dome I5 to the elevatedA end' of: one of the pipes II of the condenser unit designated separately by the reference character i9. A further conduit 20 extends between the elevated end of another o f the pipes I I in this unit and the dome I5, this last mentioned conduit being used to carry uncondensed gas from the condenser to the dome.

A 'further condenser unit 2I is connected in series by the pipes 22 to the relatively low end of the unit i9, and as the vapor passes through the condensers, it is liquied and ows through the conduit 23. The latter is connected at one end to the relatively low end of the unit 2|, while the remaining end of the conduit 23 communicates with a suitable receptacle ror tank 24. It will be noted that the latter is positioned at a relativelylower level with respect to the tank I4 and may, if desired, be suitably placed in an underground. location.

The liquid which accumulates in the receptacle 24 may be reclaimed in any convenient manner through a suitable manhole 25 and any vapor which has not liquied during its passage through the condensers I9 and 2| and also, any vapor .such as may pass 01T the liquid in the receptacle delivered to the dome I5 by a further conduit 25, provided'with the shut-oli valve 2T.

A further condenser unit 28 may also be positioned in the tank I4, the same being provided with a vapor inlet conduit 29. This conduit is similar to the aforementioned conduit I8 and communicates with the dome I5. The unit 28 is also equipped with an uncondensed `gas conduit 3U, this again corresponding to aforementioned conduit 20.

The liquid outlet conduit 3| of the unit 28 however, opens into a further receptacle `or tank 32, this being independent of the receptacle 24 and being provided with a Ventilating conduit 33. The last mentioned conduit is equipped with a suitable shut-off valve 34 and communicates with the atmosphere. In this manner, the complete storage tank system is not entirely sealed from atmospheric pressure and it will be observed that a relatively small amount of evaporation may still take place through the conduit 33.V

If desired, a suitable pipe 35, provided with the shut-off valve 36 may enter through the wall of the tank I4 for connection to either or both of the conduits and 30, and by connecting the outer extremity of the pipe 35 to a source of steam,

ror the like, the entire condenser system may be effectively blown-out, for purposes of cleaning -or the undertaking of repairs` It should be understood that while for purposes of convenient reference, the condenser units I9, 2| and 28 are designated by separate reference characters, their construction and operation is similar in nature, as exemplied by the condenser structure designated generally by the reference character I0.

lin view of the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of the invention will be clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, and further description thereof at this point is therefore considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and'described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the Vinvention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is: The combination of a volatile liquid storage tank provided at the top thereof with a vapor collecting dome, a primary condenser unit mounted in an inclined position on the bottom of said tank, a primary condensation receptacle disposed exteriorly of the tank substantially below the bottom of the latter, a primary Vapor conduit extending lfrom said dome to the upper end of said primary condenser unit, a primary condensation conduit extending from the lower end of the primary condenser unit to said primary receptacle, a vapor collecting chest provided on the outer surface of said tank, a vapor transmitting conduit extending from said primary receptacle to said chest, a secondary condenser unit mounted in an inclined position on the bottom of said tank, a secondary vapor conduit extending from said chest to the upper end of said secondary condenser unit, a secondary condensation receptacle disposed exteriorly of the tank substantially below the bottom of the latter,

and a secondary condensation conduit extending from the lower end of the secondary condensation unit to said secondary receptacle.

ALFRED -I. TOTTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 234,678 Kennedy Nov. 23, 1839 1,193,538 Goodwin Aug. 8, 1916 1,272,730 Underwood et al. July 16, 1913 1,493,544 Hill May 13, 1924 1,359,602 Ries May 24, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number .Country Date 157,000 Germany Dec. 2, 1904 182,144 Great Britain June 21, 1922 514,079 Germany Mar. 16, 1931 

